


Reassessment

by Cutebutpsycho



Category: Cabin Pressure
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-18
Updated: 2018-12-18
Packaged: 2019-09-21 16:42:30
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 858
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17046860
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Cutebutpsycho/pseuds/Cutebutpsycho
Summary: Tumblr prompt from Tygermama: Douglas and Carolyn - ‘welcome to your life, there’s no turning back’ (can you guess the song?)





	Reassessment

Everything ends. Even Douglas Richardson knows this. 

Some things end in explosions – like the Hindenberg. Others end quietly.

MJN began its death throes when Herc landed Martin an interview with a paying airline, which resulted in a job offer. Carolyn rejected all stammering apologies and lines like “say the word and I will turn down this offer. You need me more than they do.”

“You need to pay your rent,” she tartly replied. “And get a flat that is more suitable for a budding sky god.”

Shortly after that, Arthur – Arthur! – received an offer to be a tourism guide for a travel company. Carolyn wondered who on Earth would hire her son for that and Arthur fretted about leaving his mum, but the temptation of seeing polar bears up close was too good to resist. And so, another bird flew the nest.

Which brings us to now. Where Douglas, upon seeing the writing on the wall regarding MJN, starts wondering about his future. Not that anyone would hire him really. Word has gotten around about his exploits and while others find them amusing stories, having it happen to them is entirely different. 

So admittedly, Douglas is puzzled when Carolyn takes him to the [best sushi restaurant in Tokyo ](https://t.umblr.com/redirect?z=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.sushi-jiro.jp%2Feng-index.html&t=MzM2MWY0OTE3ZjQyYmQwNWYwNWFmZmRjZWQ1ZWQyZGZhYWJhYmIzZSw5Qnl3V0xmUw%3D%3D&b=t%3AOsQp4AUXnSWQXIw2LdXSSA&p=http%3A%2F%2Fintrospectivenavelgazer.tumblr.com%2Fpost%2F41064433057%2Ftygermama-replied-to-your-post-amuse-me-douglas&m=0), located near a subway station and at the bottom of a nondescript office building.

“Carolyn,” Douglas stares at the restaurant gape-jawed. “This is a sick joke isn’t it? You’re going to walk me in there, let me stare at the temple of sushi and then walk me out to that little hole in the wall where they offer sushi smothered in mayo on conveyor belts.”

Carolyn offers a bittersweet smile. “Tempting as it is, no,” she replies. “I just thought I’d butter you up a bit before we begin discussing the next phase of MJN Air.”

“Really?” he arches an eyebrow. “I thought you were packing it in.”

Carolyn shrugs. “I thought the same thing also, but well –” her grin gets toothy. “Let me tell you after dinner.”

Dinner is actually a hushed affair. Douglas immediately recognizes the spry old sushi chef and his son behind the counter. And then, the fish starts coming. It starts with flounder and keeps going. Twenty pieces of sushi in fifteen minutes. 

Douglas glances over at Carolyn and notices that she’s eating politely, but it’s obvious that she’s not enjoying it as much as he is. Which makes him wonder – what is this game she is playing? 

Then he puts a piece of fatty tuna in his mouth and all thoughts about Carolyn, MJN Air and any other worries float away in a sea of unami. This experience blows everything else away – the hedonistic three-day sex binge with that stewardess in Oslo and the perfectly clear sky the first time he flew – those experiences can’t compare with the meal he just had.

They quietly thank the chef, Carolyn pays for the meal and they leave to find a tempura stand for her to eat at.

“So what was that about?” he asks, as he watches her nibble on some deep fried shrimp.

“As you know,” she begins, “MJN has suddenly had a major employee loss. And I’ve been thinking about the future of the company.”

Here it comes, Douglas realizes. The end of everything.

“I believe it’s time for you to be promoted to Captain.”

Douglas blinks. “Have you lost your bloody mind?” he asks. “We just lost the two most vital employees to the airline. You can’t keep going on like this without another pilot – rather a pilot who will work for free.”

“I just spent sixty thousand yen on a meal that was shorter than my wedding night –”

“Oh thank you. Now I will be upset if that amazing dinner comes up thanks to that image.”

“Don’t you dare,” she snappily retorts. “For that price, it should remain in your belly until we get back to England and a week thereafter. As I was saying –”

“You’ve lost your bloody mind.”

“I admit we are suffering a loss and it’s going to be hard to recover from it,” her jaw is set hard and her posture straightens, like she’s ready to go into battle. Fixing Douglas with her stare, she begins talking. “We can get another pilot. Who will work not for free, but for a meager salary because of your reputation.”

Douglas blinks again. “I know I have a good reputation –”

“You have an interesting reputation and are very experienced,” Carolyn cuts him off and continues. “Here’s the thing – Herc told me that there are plenty of people coming out of pilot’s school with no experience, but the desire to get some before moving onto greener pastures. They’re willing to work for little to nothing just for experience.”

“So you’re saying that we’re like an internship for green pilots,” Douglas could feel a feral grin growing on his lips. 

“Exactly,” Carolyn replied. “I’m not ready to end this, despite losing two core members of the company. Are you?”

Douglas can feel the schemes start whirring in his head. “We’ve come this far,” he replies with a smile. “There’s no turning back now.”


End file.
